


contentment

by prettylilbrownskingyal



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: i like to think that they’re bros yk, just some batsibs hanging out eating burgers and roasting each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25054930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettylilbrownskingyal/pseuds/prettylilbrownskingyal
Summary: “You know what I’d fight through a troop of ninjas for right now?” Stephanie followed Jason as he walked the careful steps toward his car. He ignored her question and from his left, Duke offered an answer.“Vanilla milkshake and fries from Shake Shack.”Stephanie slapped her hands against the hood of the car, blocking Jason from getting into the driver’s seat. “Dude, how’d you know?”“I felt you, bro.” Duke said, the volume of his voice dropping as he slid into the backseat.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Stephanie Brown & Duke Thomas
Comments: 2
Kudos: 108





	contentment

That sliver of time between late night and early morning was always Jason’s favorite. The hours were filled with silence, coloured dark and hazy with light touching only the edges of the sky— a smudgy blue amalgamation of starlight and sleepy sunshine.

It was a bit out of place.

A bit unnerving.

A bit like him.

He liked to watch the minutes slip by from this point. He’d find himself a quiet spot, plop himself down and breathe in deeply. That was  _ contentment _ and he was just on the brink of getting there.

Patrol had come to a close with a big crescendo of violence that had his mind racing, adrenaline in his veins drowning the exhaustion that would soon come to claim his body. Looking around him, he could tell that Spoiler and the Signal were riding the same wave. Their ridiculous grins gave them away.

“You know what I’d fight through a troop of ninjas for right now?” Stephanie followed Jason as he walked the careful steps toward his car. He ignored her question and from his left, Duke offered an answer.

“Vanilla milkshake and fries from Shake Shack.”

Stephanie slapped her hands against the hood of the car, blocking Jason from getting into the driver’s seat. “Dude, how’d you know?”

“I felt you, bro.” Duke said, the volume of his voice dropping as he slid into the backseat.

Jason knew what they were doing. He’d hoped that ignoring them would deter their actions but alas, he’d been wrong. Ignorance did not result in bliss at all.

“Why are the both of you accosting my vehicle?” He feigned dumb as he used his foot to push Spoiler away from his door.

She didn’t budge. Instead she grabbed his ankle and gave it a sharp twist. “We’re not. We’re giving you an opportunity to spend time with us. Sibling bonding.”

“We’re not rela—“

“Doesn’t matter. Shared trauma and all of that shit.” She dropped his foot and leaned back against the door, crossing her arms. “Let’s just go get burgers, Jay. Let’s just not think about anything and eat trash and be together.”

He groaned. Something lengthy and guttural that made his throat hurt as he threw his neck back in a childish tantrum. He thought about how Duke was always nice to him even when he didn’t deserve it. How Stephanie made an effort to be his friend, called him often and put up with his bitch fits and rants when he laid them out for her.

In a way, he owed them.

“ _ Fine _ but you’re buying.”

He drove with the windows down, taking back roads and shortcuts to avoid any other cars. Normally he’d be basking in silence at this time. But Steph and Duke were far from quiet.

Someone got a hold of his aux cord and then a mini tornado of chaos and bodies ensued as they both struggled to pick a song. When they finally came to an agreement, it just had to be something loud and profane.

(He kinda liked it.)

“Take your feet off my dash.” 

Steph ignored him, she was busy fiddling with her phone case, trying to get it open.

“Is that Cass’ credit card?” Duke leaned between the seats to get a better look. “Did she give it to you?”

“Willingly?” Jason added.

“Yes,” Steph intoned. “She did, because she loves me and she knows I only use it for food.”

“Uh, have you seen you eat though?”

Duke flew back into backseat at rapid speed, laughing as he left Jason to endure a twisted ear on his own.

“What are we getting?”

They’d pulled up to the drive thru menu. It’s bright glare sucked the colour off of their skin, bounced off Duke’s suit and blinded Jason a little.

Steph turned around and prattled off a memorized order at Duke with a finger pointed to him. “Shack-cago dog with extra mustard, no pickles and no onions. And a salted caramel shake?”

Duke sniffed, a gauntleted hand over his heart. “I appreciate you.”

She turned back to Jason with a soft smile, “I want a Shack-Stack, large fries and a vanilla milkshake.”

“You can order that yourself.”

“You’re closer to the speaker.”

Duke hummed in agreement. Steph pouted. Jason prayed for mercy.

“Fine. Is that all?”

“Oh dude, you should get something for yourself.” Duke clapped him on the shoulder and then thought for a moment, “And a Shroom burger for Damian. But don’t hand Steph the bag.”

“Why not?”

“She’ll eat it.”

“I’m sitting right here, you assholes.”

“Are we wrong?” This time it was Duke that got his ear wrung.

It wasn’t Jason’s first experience showing up to a fast food restaurants in full gear. In fact, all of the food chains in Gotham were usually unfazed by the sudden appearance of a superhero on their premises. There was still an element of fun to rolling up to the window to collect food and seeing the cashier do a quick double take and go back to being straight faced.

He made good on his word and got a burger for the demon spawn and one for himself, paid with Cass’ card because he knew that it would piss her off and then drove off at a speed high above the limit just because he could.

Time was dwindling. Soon the sun would rise and he’d have spent his favorite time of day, his time, dawdling about. He threw his caution to the wind and drove them to a sacred spot just outside the city limits. A hilly plane of grass and trees that overlooked the city skyline. 

Neither of them complained or questioned him the whole way. They were busy trying to cram as many fries into their mouths as humanly possible. Steph tried to offer him one dipped in vanilla milkshake but for the sake of his sanity, he refused.

He parked the car, idling as they stumbled out behind him. Duke pulled his sandwich out of the greasy bag and offered him half of his milkshake. The three of them sat on the hood of the car, shoulders brushing as they chowed down. 

They didn’t talk anymore. And Jason knew it was for him, they were giving him the rest of his time to lull.

They were an unusual team, the three of them. Stephanie had been Robin and then she wasn’t. She’d given up a kid, died in a way and still came back. Duke had been there for Batman since he was a kid. He’d lost his family, found out he had strange powers and he was still there, fighting. Jason had died and then came back.

Collectively, they were a little unnerving.

A little bit out of place.

A lot different but also the same.

With Stephanie chewing noisily on one of his sides and Duke falling asleep at his other, Jason leaned back and watched the sun rise. Orange and gold, shining and shimmering with enough hope that the world came to life around it.

_ Contentment _ .

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for JTBW19 last year and found it in my drafts this morning. I forgot how much I loved these dorks!! 
> 
> anyways catch me on tumblr ✨
> 
> [@prettylittlebrownskingyal](https://prettylittlebrownskingyal.tumblr.com/)


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